Speed has long been among Mike Washington's prized traits.

Now it's time that's whizzing by for the Hawaii slotback as he approaches the end of his Warriors career and graduation, just 31/2 years after enrolling at the Manoa campus.

In a way, Washington wishes the end wouldn't come so quick, especially considering the Warriors' late-season roll after having to wait his turn for much of the previous three seasons.

At the same time, he's appreciating the time he does have left in a Warriors uniform.

“;Fortunately you get one year, and that's an opportunity,”; Washington said. “;Not too many people get an opportunity to do something special, to accomplish your dreams.

“;I've just been blessed, I put my future in God's hands and everything's been for the best. I've just been happy and free-spirited the second half of the season.”;

Washington enters Hawaii's senior night game against No. 13 Cincinnati on Saturday leading the Warriors with 49 receptions and second on the team in yards with 629. His five receiving touchdowns - including a pivotal 44-yard score against Washington State last week - is tied for the team lead, and his efforts landed him a spot on the All-Western Athletic Conference second team.

“;I'm so happy for Mike,”; UH offensive coordinator Ron Lee said. “;He was a steady performer throughout his career but he was behind Davone (Bess) and Ryan (Grice-Mullins). He's starting to play really exceptional. Really did a nice job this year, especially the second half.”;

Washington began his senior season anxious to play a more prominent role in the offense after Bess and Grice-Mullins left UH after their junior seasons. He earned a starting job, but a rebuilding offense struggled through some early growing pains.

The Warriors have gotten into a rhythm over the last month and enter Saturday's game riding a three-game winning streak and headed to the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.

“;I'd call it a roller-coaster ride,”; Washington said. “;It started down low with getting a feel for things. The second half of the season, that's when we started having fun. I'm just going to end with a bang and do what I can to help the team.”;

Washington might have been playing defensive back at California if a game tape from Aliquippa (Pa.) High School hadn't made its way to former UH coach June Jones' office.

“;His game tape was unbelievable,”; Lee said. “;Everything he touched he scored.”;

Jones offered Washington a scholarship, which he accepted after visiting UH the week before signing day in 2005.

Washington, who was raised primarily by grandparents Roscoe and Beulah Peake, left behind an Aliquippa neighborhood where drugs and violence were part of the everyday scene and gained a new perspective across the ocean.

“;It's all cool, because the only way you can adapt out here is by being open-minded,”; Washington said. “;All those stereotypes you've been raised with, if you bring those to a place like this, you'll never adapt.

“;It was a big blessing I came here and experienced a lot. I've seen lava flows on the Big Island, waterfalls, to meeting people from Egypt, Switzerland, Germany, all over the world. If I can take anything that I learned, that's one of the things I'm really proud of, that I got a sense of what the world really is out there.”;

Washington's speed helped make sure the Warriors had more time beyond senior night. After the Cougars closed to 17-10 in the third quarter, Washington got loose down the middle of the field for the clinching touchdown.

“;I was kind of surprised Greg threw it,”; Washington said. “;I set the safety and I was open and I looked back and the ball's already in the air. I just used my speed to track the ball down. That was like icing on the cake.”;